The present invention relates primarily to a golf ball of improved appearance, which ball has a metallic texture and also bears markings, such as lettering or a design, that appear three-dimensional, giving the ball a high-quality feel.
In the technical field relating to golf balls, various innovations are commonly made to improve ball performance, including carry, feel, controllability and durability. Over the past few years, in addition to such ball performance characteristics, there has been a growing demand for novelty of appearance, attractiveness, and a sense of quality. It has thus become important recently to finish the golf ball so as to make the appearance at the ball's surface, particularly markings such as lettering and designs, more attractive and thus impart a sense of quality, and also to maintain this appearance to some degree even after the ball has been hit.
Such golf balls have been disclosed in, for example, JP-A 8-229162 (and the corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,680). This prior-art golf ball has a core with markings formed thereon, which core is enclosed within a transparent cover.
Although this golf ball is indeed novel, the markings do not have a three-dimensional effect and the ball lacks a metallic texture and a high-quality feel. As such, the aesthetic appearance of the ball leaves much room for improvement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,378 discloses a golf ball whose surface is coated with a brightly reflecting material, but this differs from a golf ball having a sense of quality centered on the three-dimensional display of markings. Moreover, the forces incurred by the ball when it is struck with a golf club may cause the brightly reflecting material to peel off, damaging the appearance of the ball.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a golf ball endowed with a metallic texture and also having markings such as lettering or a design that appear three-dimensional, thus giving it a high-quality feel.